There are moments when I wish I had the foresight to set up my gear so that I could photograph the hot food right out of the oven. The image from this recipe would have been high on my list of could-a, should-a photography.

Delicious as a left-over, when the original casserole, which was created by kitchn.com food editor at large Christine Gallary, came from the oven, the gooey, hot molten cheese on top and scattered throughout the casserole base would have made for great food porn. Alas, you’ll just have to take my word for it, or better still, make this casserole for yourself and live in the moment.

Here is a link to the originally posted recipe.

Smoky Sweet Potato & Black Bean Casserole

Christine Gallary at Kitchn.com

Ingredients

For the casserole:

• Cooking spray or olive oil
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 (28-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained of juices
• 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed (Using what I have, I substituted Cannellini)
• 3 c shredded smoked mozzarella cheese (about 7 1/2 ounces), divided 
• 1 TBSP smoked paprika
• 1 TBSP kosher salt
• 2 cloves  garlic, minced

For serving:

• Plain yogurt
• Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Method

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil; set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the sweet potatoes to the pan and cook until just heated through, about 5 minutes (they will not be cooked through). Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
4. Add the black beans, drained tomatoes, 1 cup of the mozzarella, smoked paprika, salt, and garlic and stir to combine.
5. Transfer to the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
6. Spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray or coat with olive oil. Place the foil greased-side down over the baking dish and cover tightly.
7. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the sweet potatoes are tender and the cheese on top is browned in spots, about 30 minutes more.
8. Let cool 10 minutes before serving topped with yogurt and cilantro.